Not Using Main Dining Rooms

[slightlysilly]

Quick question:

 

If we do not plan on using any of the main dining rooms with the exception of debarkation breakfast, do we have to tell anyone about that?

 

Our plan is Remy the first or last night, Palo the first or last night and Cabanas sit down the middle night. (This will be our third Disney cruise, so we've done all the main dining room stuff)

 

I currently have main dining, but will switch to late in order to get a late debarkation breakfast time (and to release a table for the people who want the much coveted main dining time)

 

I just don't want our table to disappear when we arrive for breakfast the last day. Could that happen?

 

Thanks in advance!

[moki'smommy]

First, you are right to save the main dining for someone who wants it.

 

I would tell your head server after you board the ship, but make it clear that you want your seat for the disembarkation breakfast. Expect them to try to talk you into the MDR, but politely. I'm trusting this is a 3 night cruise...so no big deal. You do know that the Cabanas menu will be a mix of items from each of the signature menus. But the food is better there because it is fixed fresh when you order it, not sitting in a warming area. We LOVED eating at Cabanas!

[slightlysilly]

Moki -

 

I have never eaten at Cabanas for dinner. The last time we were on the Dream was our first Disney cruise, and our first time in the Bahamas, so even though we have been on ship before, I trust this will be a very different experience.

 

Yes, I know what people go through to get main dining. I am in my forties and don't have small children and I would be standing in a line trying to get main dining as well. Our first cruise we had late dining and my stomach couldn't handle the eat and then bed routine. I tried though...

 

We weren't blown away by the main dining rooms (even Animator's Palate which everyone always raves about), BUT we were blown away by Palo, which I guess shows how far we will travel for a truly excellent meal experience.

 

Thanks for your help! Looking forward to trying Cabanas!

[moki'smommy]

Our MDR experience has varied widely. I'm not terribly happy with the current food on DCL, and far less so when it is not served hot.

 

We (and our friends at the table) endured 12 nights of warm but not hot food...sent it back a couple times, talked with head server toward the end. He was actually upset that we hadn't sp

 

oken to him earlier. This was a 12+12 B2B, with family members of our friends joining for the second leg. Well, for the second leg, the food was always hot. The family members complained that the service was slow...and our friends informed them that both the food and the service was MUCH better than our first leg. Oh yeah, we asked for a server by name, and got our request. I'm sure the head server talked with the server...and he appeared frequently to be sure we were happy.

 

I don't know if DCL has cut the food budget, fooled around with the serving plan, or what....but the food used to be much better on DCL and continues to be better on some other lines.

 

I ordered the same entree two nights in a row--once in the MDR and once in Cabanas. It was MUCH better in Cabanas.

Edited March 13, 2016 by moki'smommy

[cb at sea]

Anyone can use the DR for breakfast...you don't need to inform anyone! But if you will NOT be using your dining room seating for dinner, it's nice to inform them, so perhaps they can give someone else your seats/timeslot.

[moki'smommy]

Anyone can use the DR for breakfast...you don't need to inform anyone! But if you will NOT be using your dining room seating for dinner, it's nice to inform them, so perhaps they can give someone else your seats/timeslot.

 

My point was that if they were not ever going to show up for dinner, they wanted to be sure their seats hadn't been given away for the final breakfast. Yes, you DO have an assigned time and assigned seats for that final breakfast. SO, if they inform the dining staff that they won't be there for dinner, they should add that they plan to do the disembarkation breakfast.